


Especially Now

by befree2



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Gen, M/M, Pre-Slash, Spoilers!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-15
Updated: 2018-07-15
Packaged: 2019-06-10 23:44:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15302670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/befree2/pseuds/befree2
Summary: A short conversation between Nott and Caleb, set after the events of episode 25.





	Especially Now

“Caleb,” Nott hissed, and Caleb’s eyes snapped open as he bolted up onto the elbows. It was still dark, and Nott’s yellow eyes were the only thing Caleb could see, looming over him.

“Nott,” Caleb breathed, “What is it? What is the matter?”

“Nothing! Nothing, it’s okay. Nothing _bad_ ,” Nott whispered frantically, trying to calm him down. “I just…I needed to talk to you.”

Caleb furrowed his brows. “ _Now_?”

“Sorry,” Nott said unapologetically, “I had to talk to you before they woke up.”

“Okay,” Caleb said slowly, sitting fully up to face her. “What is it?”

“Well,” Caleb could hear her twisting her hands together in her lap as she looked down. “Well, it’s just that…you know, we started out just _us_ two and I know that we decided to stick with these people for a while, but…do you think that’s a good idea _now_?” Mott blinked up at him desperately.

“What?” Caleb asked, taken aback. “You want to leave them?”

Nott made an uncomfortable noise in the back of her throat. “Well, I mean, it’s just that…is this all _worth_ it? We aren’t beholden to these people. We could cut our ties and return to the Gentleman and say ‘sorry, we couldn’t do both tasks’, and we wouldn’t be risking our lives to go save these strangers.”

“Nott, do you _really_ consider them strangers at this point?” Caleb shook his head minutely. “These people are our _friends_ , and they would not abandon us were our positions reversed. I would not feel right to leave them now. Not like this.”

Not hung her head. “But it could be _dangerous_ ,” she told him fearfully.

“I know,” Caleb nodded. “But…I don’t know about you, but I want to stay. I actually like these people.”

“Even _Molly_?” Nott asked.

Caleb let out a tiny laugh. “You know, for some reason, I’d say especially Molly,” he admitted, sighing. “Look, Nott,” Caleb took her hands in his, looking her dead in the eye. “I do not want to lose you. If there is a good reason that you want to leave, I will go with you right now, _no_ question,” Caleb told her. “But…you are afraid, I understand that, but I also know that you are becoming just as attached to this group as I am. I do not wish to leave them, especially now, when they need out help so desperately in this moment.”

Nott sniffed, looking down. “Do…do you think they would come save us if we had been the ones kidnapped?”

“They would,” Caleb answered without hesitation. “They all would.”

“And you definitely don’t want to go someplace safe and forget that this ever happened?”

Caleb squeezed her hands gently. “I am sorry, Nott. I vote we stay.”

She took a deep, shaky breath, “Alright then, we stay.”

Caleb sighed and pulled her in to hug her tight against his chest, her tiny arms wrapping around his rib cage. “Thank you, Nott. And…I will keep you safe. I promise.”

“Okay.”


End file.
